PETALING JAYA: What began as a difficult recovery journey following a motor vehicle accident in 2019 has now become a life-and-death struggle for 49-year-old Subramaniam Panneer, whose family is grappling with overwhelming medical and financial hardships.
Currently, Subramaniam battles complete kidney failure, while his wife continues her recovery from cancer.
The couple, once hardworking parents striving to provide for their family, now find themselves desperately seeking public help to survive this challenging period.
In the aftermath of the 2019 accident, Subramaniam was left with ongoing medical complications that affected his mobility and health.
Despite the physical strain, he persevered to support his family, taking on work as an e-hailing driver during the day.
For years, he balanced his deteriorating condition with the need to put food on the table and keep his household afloat.
However, things took a devastating turn in late 2024 when Subramaniam began feeling increasingly weak and unwell.
By November and December of last year, his hospital visits became more frequent, and test results revealed a rapid decline in kidney function.
Although he was admitted to Serdang Hospital and referred to Hospital Shah Alam for further treatment, his condition continued to worsen.
In January this year, just days before Chinese New Year celebrations, Subramaniam was rushed to the emergency room, where doctors confirmed the family’s worst fears—he was experiencing complete kidney failure. Since then, he has been undergoing dialysis treatment three times a week.
Each session costs RM240, and without a subsidy, the total comes to nearly RM3,000 a month. Without a steady income, this cost is far beyond what the family can afford.
The family has applied to the National Kidney Foundation for subsidised dialysis, but approval is still pending.
Until then, each dialysis session must be paid out of pocket.
Adding to their difficulties, Subramaniam’s wife, who had been the household’s sole breadwinner while he struggled with his health, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023.
She has since undergone treatment and is still recovering, unable to return to work.
The couple has two children currently in school and also cares for Subramaniam’s elderly mother-in-law, who lives with them and requires constant supervision.
The family’s daily expenses, children’s schooling needs, and ongoing medical bills have pushed them to their financial and emotional limits.
The family is now turning to the public for urgent support, and donations will help cover the cost of Subramaniam’s dialysis treatments and ease the overwhelming financial burden they face.
For further enquiries or to support more families like Subramaniam’s, please visit their official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/giftthemten.
